News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Part of the enquiry centers on a decision taken by Police chiefs to halt growing backlogs associated with individuals who have not shown up in court and for whom bench warrants have been issued.

And while the Leader has learned of the approximate number of suspects currently under surveillance, police have for the moment remained tight-lipped.

“We would have identified several dozen people we believe are involved in drugs and our focus has been on them,” said a police source last week. “It is intellegence-led and we have managed to clear out about 70 per cent of outstanding warrants through this.”

The change in tactics employed by police has also caused officers to carry out routine checks and searches of those believed to be involved in drugs and organized crime.
(Source: Longford Leader)
Louth

A new legal battle could be set to develop over a 10.85-acre piece of land on the Lower Point Road.

Last month the land, located next to the Sewerage Treatment Plant, was the subject of a High Court action with Mr Justice Hedigan deciding that McCaughey Developments Ltd – who bought the land from Dundalk Port Company in 2006 for e1.7 million – had been deprived of fair procedures when Dundalk Town Council voted to change the zoning from residential to recreation, amenity and open space.

The land had been bought by McCaughey Developments Ltd as residential but Mr Justice Hedigan found an injustice had been done to the company arising from the circumstances that led to the change of zoning on November 17 2009.

When a High Court judgement was made last month that the matter should be reconsidered, Dundalk Town Council opted not to contest the decision.

However, last week the Louth Environmental Group (LEG) lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court seeking to reinstate the council’s original decision to zone the land, which includes the old Quay Celtic soccer pitch, as an open space recreational amenity area.

Their appeal comes as McCaughey Developments have submitted a planning application to build 44 houses on the site with the LEG claiming that the council will be liable to make a e4.4 million payout in planning compensation unless they grant it.
(Source: Dundalk Democrat)
Mayo

The mystery of the Westport bumper National Lottery winners has been resolved. Well, kind of. The couple, from the west, turned up to claim their €2 million prize jackpot at lottery headquarters in Dublin on Tuesday, June 28. As is their entitlement, they have opted to keep their identities private.

The couple became millionaires after they bought an €8 Quick Pick ticket in McLoughlin’s Spar on Shop Street, Westport. A decade ago, the family-run shop also turned up trumps for Westport native, John Moran, who won £2.1 million.
(Source: The Mayo News)

Meath

The long-standing bad blood between the McDonagh and Nevin families reared its head again last week when, on Wednesday night, a grenade exploded at a house in Reask Drive in revenge for an earlier beating of a man who had to be hospitalized.

At around 2pm on Wednesday, a member of one family in his 20s was dragged from his van near Commons Road in the town and beaten so badly he had to be hospitalized. He is thought to have a broken leg among other injuries.

A group of people congregated and several weapons were produced. Three further men were hospitalized in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, with various injuries and range in age from 17 to early 40s. Two members of each family were hospitalized.

Police calmed things until 12.05am when a the grenade exploded at the home of a member of one of the families, blowing in the windows and causing minor damage. Police say that no-one was at home at the time. The fact that no-one was home means the pipe bomb was most likely intended as a message rather than an attempt on the residents' lives.

The following day, Thursday, a petrol bomb exploded at the same address after a similar flare up at Reask Green at around 10pm. The bomb was thrown through the front windows and fire units were called to the scene.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)
Monaghan

A distraught man made a grim discovery last week when he came upon the body of his nephew lying on a deserted road after a hit-and-run accident early last week.

Enda Traynor, from Lemgare, Co Monaghan, was walking on the rural road near Clontibret, Co Monaghan, at around 7am last week when he made the grim discovery.

The body of the young man -- named locally as Fintan Traynor (20) from Lemgare -- was so badly injured his uncle did not initially recognize him, devastated family members told the Irish Independent last week.

Mr Traynor was dropped off near to where his body was found by a taxi at around 3am last week following a night out.